Hierarchical Taxonomic

System of Classification
(Classifying Organisms into
their Big Groups)
DAY 2 WEEK 1
 OBJECTIVES
▪Classify organisms using the hierarchical taxonomic system (S8LT-
IVh-20)
➢Classify organisms based on their similarities and differences
(focusing on the bigger groups, domain and kingdom);
➢Identify the basis in classifying organisms; and
➢Describe the distinguishing characteristics of organisms under
the six-kingdom scheme of classification.
BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS
▪ Classification is the process
of arranging organisms,
both living and extinct, into
groups based on similar
characteristics. The science
of naming and classifying
organisms is called
taxonomy. The term is
derived from the Greek taxis
(“arrangement”) and nomos
(“law”).
BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS
▪ Carl Linnaeus is most famous for
creating a system of naming plants
and animals—a system we still use
today.
▪ This system is known as the binomial
system, whereby each species of
plant and animal is given a genus
name followed by a specific name
(species), with both names being in
Latin.
▪ Father of Taxonomy
BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS
▪ Linnaeus named over 12,000 species of
plants and animals, although some have
had to be renamed because we know
more about them now.
▪ Linnaeus published many books using his
new system of classification and his two
most famous books, Species
plantarum (1st edition, 1753) and Systema
naturae (10th edition, 1758), are still used
by scientists as the basis for naming plants
and animals.
 BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS
▪In the 1960s, American biologist
Robert Whittaker proposed a
classification system based on
five
kingdoms: Monera (prokaryotes),
Protista (chiefly protozoa and
algae), Fungi (molds, yeasts, and
mushrooms), Plantae (plants),
and Animalia (animals).
 BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS
▪In the 1960s, American biologist
Robert Whittaker proposed a
classification system based on
five
kingdoms: Monera (prokaryotes),
Protista (chiefly protozoa and
algae), Fungi (molds, yeasts, and
mushrooms), Plantae (plants),
and Animalia (animals).
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
▪ Bacteria are the sole members of
Kingdom Monera. They live in extremes
habitat such as hot spring, deserts,
snow and deep oceans.
▪ Many of them live in or on other
organisms as parasites.
▪ Bacteria are group under four
categories based on their shape.
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
FOUR CATEGORIES OF BACTERIA
➢Spherical Coccus (Cocci)
“spherical or round-shaped bacteria”
• Streptococci – cocci arranged in chains.
E.g., Streptococcus mutans
• Diplococci – cocci arranged in pairs.
Eg., Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• Monococci – single cocci
• Staphylococci – clusters of cocci.
Eg., Staphylococcus aureus
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
FOUR CATEGORIES OF BACTERIA
➢Rod-Shaped Bacillus (Bacilli)
“cylindrical or rodlike bacteria”
• Typhoid – It occurs when water or food
contaminated with Salmonella is ingested.
• Diphtheria – It is an infection caused due to toxins
produced by bacilli Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
• Tetanus – It is a bacterial infection caused by
bacilli Clostridium tetani.
• Anthrax – It is caused by Bacillus anthracis in
animals like goats, sheep, cattle, etc
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
FOUR CATEGORIES OF BACTERIA
➢Comma-Shaped Vibrium (Vibrio)
“curved-rod (comma) shape bacteria”
Vibrio is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria,
possessing a curved-rod (comma) shape,
several species of which can cause
foodborne infection, usually associated
with eating undercooked seafood.
▪ Vibrio cholerae – causes a life-threatening cholera.
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
FOUR CATEGORIES OF BACTERIA
➢Spiral Spirillum (spirilla)
“Spiral shaped bacteria”

▪ Also known as spirochetes, include

Treponema pallidum, which causes
syphilis; Borrelia burgdorferi, which
causes Lyme disease; and Leptospira,
responsible for causing Leptospirosis.
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)

▪Archaebacteria – they live in most harsh habitats such as

extreme salty areas (halophiles), hot springs
(thermoacidophiles), and marshy areas (methanogens).
▪ Have different cell wall structure and features capable for
survival in extreme temperatures and conditions. .
▪ Methanogens are present in the gut of several ruminants of
animals such as cows and buffaloes (responsible for the
production of methane gas (biogas).
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
▪ Eubacteria - ‘true bacteria’ they are characterized by the presence of
a rigid cell wall, and if motile, a flagellum.
➢Cyanobacteria (also referred to as blue-green algae) have chlorophyll a
similar to green plants and are photosynthetic autotrophs.
➢Chemosynthetic autotrophic bacteria - oxidise various inorganic
substances such as nitrates, nitrites and ammonia and use the released
energy.
➢Heterotrophic bacteria - are the most abundant in nature. The majority
are important decomposers. Many of them have a significant impact on
human affairs.
 KINGDOM MONERA
(Archaebacteria & Eubacteria)
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪All single-celled eukaryotes are placed under Protista, but
the boundaries of this kingdom are not well defined. What
may be ‘a photosynthetic protistan’ to one biologist may
be ‘a plant’ to another.
▪Being eukaryotes, the protistan cell body contains a well-
defined nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
Some have flagella or cilia. Protists reproduce asexually
and sexually by a process involving cell fusion and zygote
formation.
KINGDOM PROTISTA
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Chrysophytes- this group
includes diatoms and golden
algae (desmids). They are
found in fresh water as well
as in marine environments.
They are microscopic and
float passively in water
currents (plankton).
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Dinoflagellates -these
organisms are mostly marine
and photosynthetic. They
appear yellow, green, brown,
blue or red depending on the
main pigments present in
their cells. The cell wall has
stiff cellulose plates on the
outer surface.
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Euglenoids /Euglena -
majority of them are
freshwater organisms found
in stagnant water. Instead of
a cell wall, they have a
protein rich layer called
pellicle which makes their
body flexible. They have two
flagella, a short and a long
one.
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Protozoans – all
protozoans are
heterotrophs and live as
predators or parasites.
They are believed to be
primitive relatives of
animals.
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Flagellated protozoans:
The members of this group
are either free-living or
parasitic. They have
flagella. The parasitic forms
cause diseases such as
sleeping sickness.
▪Example: Trypanosoma.
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪ Ciliated protozoans: These are
aquatic, actively moving organisms
because of the presence of thousands
of cilia. They have a cavity (gullet) that
opens to the outside of the cell
surface. The coordinated movement
of rows of cilia causes the water laden
with food to be steered into the
gullet.
▪ Example: Paramecium
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Amoeboid protozoans: These
organisms live in fresh water,
sea water or moist soil. They
move and capture their prey
by putting out pseudopodia
(false feet) as in Amoeba.
Marine forms have silica shells
on their surface. Some of them
such as Entamoeba are
parasites.
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Amoeboid protozoans: These
organisms live in fresh water,
sea water or moist soil. They
move and capture their prey
by putting out pseudopodia
(false feet) as in Amoeba.
Marine forms have silica shells
on their surface. Some of them
such as Entamoeba are
parasites.
 KINGDOM PROTISTA
▪Sporozoans: This includes
diverse organisms that have an
infectious spore-like stage in
their life cycle. The most
notorious is Plasmodium
(malarial parasite) which
causes malaria, a disease
which has a staggering effect
on human population.